Still, it's not like the twain shall never meet as well as Chinese and English speakers -- and, more to the point with regards to my Photo Hunt entry this week, Chinese and English readers -- are concerned in terms of common interests and needs. So, as an example, what looked to have been originally envisioned as a very local -- and, yes, traditional looking (see the middle picture at the top of this blog entry!)-- kaito route between Sai Wan Ho (on Hong Kong Island) and Tung Lung Chau, with information about it posted only in Chinese, has had relevant bits of English hand-written on it for the benefit of potential customers who can't read Chinese (but can read English).

Thanks much for appreciating my Photo Hunt entries as much as you do. I'm very happy to share with someone like you. :)

Hi ewok1993 --

Thanks for your regular visits and continued appreciation. It really does help make the effort I put into my Photo Hunt entries feel worthwhile when I know there is an audience for them like you (and Trekcapri). :)

Hi Mar --

It's always nice to see signs that are in more than one language -- and particularly when at least one of those languages is one one can read and understand. :)

To be fair, I do think some native speakers do try to learn some Chinese but there's the tone problem -- i.e., spoken Chinese makes use of tones, and Cantonese has the most tones of all (something like nine different ones).

So it's easier said than done -- and I have to admit even I am one of those who can understand Cantonese far better than speak it. This, after all, is the language/dialect where one tonal mistake can cause "four" into "die", "nine" to turn into "penis", "crab" into "vagina" and such linguistic calamities! ;(

I'm glad you like this blog entry. And, always, thanks for reading as well as looking. :)

Hi Gattina --

By Chinese, I assume they're learning Mandarin and Simplified Chinese script... On an aesthetic level, I find it a pity because I think that Cantonese sounds better and Traditional Chinese looks more beautiful -- but I can understand why people go for the Mainland Chinese preferred options.

Hi Liz --

Thank you and hope you have a good weekend too. (My weekend's almost coming to an end but am pleased to be able to say that it was indeed a pretty good one. :b)

Hi EastCoastLife --

The funny translations I can (almost) deal with. It's when they have no translations at all that I can feel at a loss! ;(

Hi peppylady --

By "they", you mean the Chinese? If so, for sure! The Chinese have been writing in their own way for thousands of years! ;D